WHY WE CARE

Plugged In exists to shine a light on the world of popular entertainment while giving you and your family the essential tools you need to understand, navigate and impact the culture in which we live. Through reviews, articles and discussions, we want to spark intellectual thought, spiritual growth and a desire to follow the command of Colossians 2:8: "See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ."

<div>Please enable Javascript to watch this video</div>

YOUR STORIES

Family uses Plugged In as a ‘significant compass’

"I am at a loss for words to adequately express how much it means to my husband and me to know that there is an organization like Focus that is rooting for us. Just today I was reading Psalm 37 and thinking about how your ministry provides ways to 'dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture.' We have two teenagers and an 8-year-old in our household...Plugged In has become a significant compass for our family. All three of our kids are dedicated to their walk with Christ but they still encounter challenges. Thanks for all of your research and persistence in helping us navigate through stormy waters."

Plugged In helps college student stand-up for his belief

"Thanks for the great job you do in posting movie and television reviews online. I’m a college freshman and I recently had a confrontational disagreement with my English professor regarding an R-rated film. It is her favorite movie and she wanted to show it in class. I went to your Web site to research the film’s content. Although I had not seen the movie myself, I was able to make an educated argument against it based on the concerns you outlined. The prof said that she was impressed by my stand and decided to poll the whole class and give us a choice. We overwhelmingly voted to watch a G-rated movie instead! I’ve learned that I can trust your site and I will be using it a lot in the future.”

Plugged In brings ‘Sanity and Order’ to Non-believer

“Even though I don’t consider myself a Christian, I find your Plugged In Web site useful and thought-provoking. No one reviews movies like you do. Instead of being judgmental, you put entertainment ‘on trial.’ After presenting the evidence, you allow the jury of your readers to decide for themselves what they should do. In my opinion, you bring sanity and order to the wild world of modern day entertainment. Keep up the good work!”

Mom thinks Plugged In is the ‘BEST Christian media review site’

"Our family doesn't go to the movies until we go online and check out your assessment of a given film. I think this is the BEST Christian media review website that I've found, and I recommend it to my family and friends. Keep up the good work!"

SUPPORT THE WORK OF PLUGGED IN

Our hope is that whether you're a parent, youth leader or teen, the information and tools at Plugged In will help you and your family make appropriate media decisions. We are privileged to do the work we do, and are continually thankful for the generosity and support from you, our loyal readers, listeners and friends.

Sign up for a campaign update

Fallout: New Vegas

We hope this review was both interesting and useful. Please share it with family and friends who would benefit from it as well.

Game Review

I'd be the first to admit that there's something fun about running around in a virtual world that blends the artistic sensibilities of the '30s and '40s with the rusted and crumbling detritus of a post-apocalyptic future. And that's exactly the charm of the Fallout games. How can you not smile at the contrasts evident in scavenging for protective clothing and a bottle of dirty water at bombed-out gas station while listening to Kay Kyser sing a bouncy ditty about having spurs that "jingle, jangle, jingle"?

But that hasn't been the end of the discussion when it comes to this franchise. So while it's not technically a sequel to Fallout 3, Fallout: New Vegas still has more than its share of radioactive hot spots.

It's 2281, about 200 years after the Great War blew the world into thermonuclear bits. All that's left are radioactive critters (the king-sized rad-scorpions and flame-belching giant ants among them), enormous mallet-wielding supermutants and shambling ghouls that are not much more than animated bone, teeth and gristle. Oh, and a few groups of normal humans who are eager to get their civilization back up to speed.

Of course, a number of strongman factions have their own ideas about how that new humanity ought to look. The major players are the New California Republic, a West Coast army that wants to grab the Hoover Dam and reestablish an American-like ideal, and Caesar's Legion, gladiator warriors from the East Coast demanding that everyone join their purist, drug-free empire—or die. And let's not overlook a Howard Hughes-like megamogul named Mr. House who owns a high-tech Vegas casino and an army of robot enforcers that he hopes will make him king.

Choose, Choose, Bang, Bang
Players are dropped down into this Wild West war zone wearing the boots of a courier who's immediately shot, robbed and left for dead. A local doc gets you back up on your feet. But your head injury leaves you without a single memory to explain what you see around you. So it's off to track down the shooter and find out why the stolen package—a mysterious poker chip—is so important to this growing power struggle.

New Vegas offers a huge sprawling world and literally hundreds of possible quests that blend adventurous explorations with lots and lots of gory gun battles. Like other Fallout games, the choices gamers make help shape each unfolding chapter. Will you cheat, steal and kill your way to the top and scrounge up scores of enemies, or will you help others and reap the rewards of friendship? Will you join with the NRC or the Legion and tip the scales of power? Or maybe you'll just run fast and loose as a gun for hire?

Truth be told, there's going to be dirty death-dealing no matter what you choose. You meet scores of people along the way—each with his or her own tale. And you can pick up just about any melee or ranged weapon you can imagine (from lead pipe bludgeons and electrified boxing gloves to machine guns and plasma rifles) and obliterate them with it. Even if you're nice, hard-core enemies are around every corner, so brain-splattering and dismembering violence is as common as a stroll through the cacti in the cool of the evening.

Sliding Sideways
With all the gun-blazing, it's reasonable to assume that the story's hero (who's actually more of an antihero) will find himself winged from time to time. And that brings up another of the game's problem areas: To maintain character health stats and keep-your-boots-on fortitude, gamers will consume all manner of virtual booze and drugs. And as you woof back strength enhancers, med packs and radiation remedies, your world can slip sideways into blurry inebriation, radiation poisoning or drug addiction that only a visit to the digital doctor can cure.

Sexuality is also scattered throughout the Vegas homeland. No sex acts are on virtual display, but you can solicit the off-camera services of a prostitute. Some characters reveal quite a bit of skin, and dialogue can easily venture into randy areas—especially in a cathouse/casino called Gomorrah, where half-naked dancing "escorts" coo come-ons.

F- and s-words are anything but rare. The same goes for "a‑‑," "d‑‑n," "b‑‑ch" and "h‑‑‑."

Are you starting to feel the radioactive char?

I haven't even mentioned yet some messy carryovers from Fallout 3 such as the Bloody Mess perk and the call-your-pals-for-lunch Cannibal perk.

Suddenly all that retro-futuristic charm just doesn't feel so … charming. The gameplay is long, the storylines are complicated and things can melt down into a pile of oozing goo pretty quick in this New Vegas Wild West.

Advertisement

Get weekly e-news, Culture Clips & more!

Plugged In Blog

Good media discernment is about guarding our eyes and hearts before we watch or listen. And it's also about grappling with the entertainment we do see or hear. That's why the Plugged In Blog is devoted to guarding, discussing and grappling.

Family Safety

Protecting our families today is more vital than ever. And by partnering with ClearPlay and Net Nanny, Focus on the Family hopes to point you to resources and tools that can help you navigate the entertainment world around you.